Secrets of the Wind
by keroRiBBIT
Summary: There are some things that only the wind could hear. Post War.


_**A/N:**_ _Okay...Not okay. /cries. Don't ask where this monster came from._

 **Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto**

Secrets of the Wind

"You know," she asks all of a sudden, breaking the silence.

Curious, Neji opened his eyes and observed.

She was leaning her back on the trunk of the tree. The same tree that carried the mangled target post from way back when their genin days.

From his lotus position right across from her, Neji allowed a small upward tilt from the corner of his mouth in a smile. That was usually his spot. But as he soon noticed, she had taken refuge in his little corner. Most of the time, Neji would see her there, doing the most mundane things like sharpening her weapons, writing her new summons in a scroll, or maybe just simply reading a book.

His smile widened just a nanometer more.

Her eyes were not directed at him but at the sky where she seems lost in thought. He was content where he was, simply gazing at her.

As though she felt his stare, brown eyes clashed against his own silver ones. He once again gave her a smile and she gave him one as well in return. But as soon as it did, it disappeared and Neji frowned.

"What's wrong?" He asked in a murmur, not wanting to break the tranquility of their training grounds.

A different smile made its way to her lips and she curved her back in a forward manner, tucking her legs in her arms. Her cheek rested on top of her knees as she sighed and looked at him lovingly.

His jaw slackened slightly as his lips parted in a small gap. All he could do was stare. Never had he seen her more beautiful. A warmth had spread on his chest and he could hear, rather than feel, the beating of his heart.

"Hinata's getting married," she whispered, the sound reaching his ears just before the wind blew it away.

Neji slowly nodded his head, unsure of where the conversation was going. He wetted his lips slightly as she openly stared at him this time.

With that same smile, she asked "Aren't you happy for her?"

Again, he nodded. His voice soft as he replied, "Of course I am."

Her small laugh echoed in the area and Neji cocked an eyebrow in question.

But she answered with that same smile and loving eyes, "Of course you are."

Again, they were encased in silence. The only sound he could hear was the clear pounding of his heart.

She was still looking at him, right cheek resting on her knees, arms tucking in her legs.

His finger twitched.

"Was it worth it? Protecting her?" She asked, her voice quiet. Her brown eyes darted towards the lower left, not meeting his gaze.

"Of course," he whispered. "She's family."

Another quiet laugh bubbled from her throat. "Family," she muttered to herself quietly but the wind got a hold on it and whispered it to his ears. There was a rare trace of longing in her voice.

"Of course," she said again, her voice clearer but still quiet.

And she looked at him once again. An ache settled in his chest the longer he stared at her beautiful brown eyes. She looked at him with eyes full of pure, sincere love and affection. She was smiling at him but a tear cascaded down her cheek and she released another chuckle.

"You were willing to die for her after all," she said.

He could see another tear escape. And another, and another. Soon enough, she buried her head in her knees as her tears made its way to the earth. Even in her pain, she didn't want him to see her tears.

"Tenten," he called quietly, hand raising to pull her in an embrace...but his hand went straight through her shoulder.

A sob broke out of her and Neji felt that he was stabbed in the chest once again.

"Neji," she cried out softly. The sound was muffled in between her knees but he heard it loud and clear.

"Why couldn't you have lived for me?" She wracked with sobs and Neji thought that nothing had ever made him hurt more than seeing her cry.

Even though he knew it was pointless, he raised himself from his lotus position to his knees as his arms went around her shoulders to envelope her in a loving embrace.

She leaned into his chest and for just a moment, he could feel her as if he were back in his body. He could feel her sob against his chest, feel his forehead against the crown of her head and he felt the ground shake as she cried, "Neji."

A tear made its way down his cheek and onto her hair as he whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"Neji."

"I'm sorry."

And then, everything went still. An ethereal silence surrounded him and the only sound he could hear was her crying.

He suddenly felt alive. Tenten raised her face to look at him, her eyed red rimmed.

His hand came up to brush a single tear that fell down her cheek, and leaned in. He saw her close her eyes and felt his own close as well. His lips brushed against hers. His mouth was firm against her feather-soft lips as he poured everything in that one single kiss.

The time came when he pulled back, the wind was calling out his name. He started to feel light headed.

In the white haze that clouded his vision, he could see Tenten.

He could see Tenten throwing weapons at him.

He could see Tenten reprimanding him.

He could see Tenten creating concise brush strokes in her scroll.

Hear her voice telling him she believed in him, that he can be more, even though he was convinced that this was all he was destined to do.

"He's a genius," she would ways say.

He could still her faintly crying in the background.

"Don't leave me alone with those two," he remembered with a smile.

But what struck him the most was the way her cheek rested on her knees as she looked at him with eyes full of love.

His vision had cleared and still, he stared at her eyes that even through her tears, were still full of affection and longing.

With that one last ounce of his strength, he embraced her tightly, and he felt at peace.

"No," he heard her whisper.

His arms were loosening around her, white particles were surrounding them and he could feel himself fade.

"No, please. Just a little longer." She cried quietly, arms raising to return his embrace, telling him not to go.

But her hands met thin air and she was left in the forest floor, at his usual spot, rubbing her shoulders to compensate for the loss of his warmth.

"Please," she whispered.

A breeze went by telling her its secrets.

'I love you.'

oOo

 _ **A/N:**_ _I decided not to include this in "pocketful of stars" because as you read it, you can see that it's a collection of quite light hearted fics. If you haven't well, go read and review it. Haha. As I mentioned to imjustanotheroneofthem, this is a story from the heart (like Of Bridges and Heart Break, which you should read as well)._

 _Apparently, I now acquired the ability to shamelessly plug fics._

 _This is my first time writing an angst so a lot of feedback would be appreciated. :)_


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